Unit 2: Population Migration Patterns and Processes

2.1 Population Distribution

Learning Objective 

1. Identify the factors that influence the distribution of human populations at different scales. 

2. Define methods geographers use to calculate population density 

3. Explain the differences between and the impact of methods used to calculate population density. 

Essential Knowledge

1. Physical factors (e.g., climate, landforms, water bodies) and human factors (e.g., culture, economics, history, politics) influence the distribution of population.

2. Factors that illustrate patterns of population distribution vary according to the scale of analysis. 

3. The three methods for calculating population density are arithmetic, physiological, and agricultural. 

4. The method used to calculate population density reveals different information about the pressure the population exerts on the land. 

2.2 Consequences of Population Distribution

Learning Objective

Explain how population distribution and density affect society and the environment.

Essential Knowledge

1. Population distribution and density affect political, economic, and social processes, including the provision of services such as medical care.

2. Population distribution and density affect the environment and natural resources; this is known as carrying capacity. 

2.3 Population Composition

Learning Objective

1. Describe elements of population composition used by geographers.

2. Explain ways that geographers depict and analyze population composition.

Essential Knowledge

1. Patterns of age structure and sex ratio vary across different regions and may be mapped and analyzed at different scales.

2. Population pyramids are used to assess population growth and decline and to predict markets for goods and services.  

2.4 Population Dynamics

Learning Objective

Explain factors that account for contemporary and historical trends in population growth and decline. 

Essential Knowledge

1. Demographic factors that determine a population’s growth and decline are fertility, mortality, and migration.

2. Geographers use the rate of natural increase and population-doubling time to explain population growth and decline. 

3. Social, cultural, political, and economic factors influence fertility, mortality, and migration rates.

2.5 The Demographic Transitional Model

Learning Objective

Explain theories of population growth and decline.

Essential Knowledge

1. The demographic transition model can be used to explain population change over time.

2. The epidemiological transition explains causes of changing death rates. 

2.6 Malthusian Theory

Learning Objective

Explain theories of population growth and decline. 

Essential Knowledge

Malthusian theory and its critiques are used to analyze population change and its consequences. 

2.7 Population Policies

Learning Objective

Explain the intent and effects of various population and immigration policies on population size and composition. 

Essential Knowledge

Types of population policies include those that promote or discourage population growth, such as pronatalist, antinatalist, and immigration policies.

2.8 Women and Demographic Change

Learning Objective

Explain how the changing role of females has demographic consequences in different parts of the world. 

Essential Knowledge

1. Changing social values and access to education, employment, health care, and contraception have reduced fertility rates in most parts of the world.

2. Changing social, economic, and political roles for females have influenced patterns of fertility, mortality, and migration, as illustrated by Ravenstein’s laws of migration.

2.9 Aging Populations

Learning Objective

Explain the causes and consequences of an aging population. 

Essential Knowledge

1. Population aging is determined by birth and death rates and life expectancy.

2. An aging population has political, social, and economic consequences, including the dependency ratio. 

2.10 Causes of Migration

Learning Objective

Explain how different causal factors encourage migration.

Essential Knowledge

1. Migration is commonly divided into push factors and pull factors.

2. Push/pull factors and intervening opportunities/obstacles can be cultural, demographic, economic, environmental, or political. 

2.11 Forced and Voluntary Migration

Learning Objective 

Describe types of forced and voluntary migration. 

Essential Knowledge

1. Forced migrations include slavery and events that produce refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.

2. Types of voluntary migrations include transnational, transhumance, internal, chain, step, guest worker, and rural-to-urban. 

2.12 Effects of Migration

Learning Objectives

Explain historical and contemporary geographic effects of migration.

Essential Knowledge

Migration has political, economic, and cultural effects.